By now, you may have read our prior posts, “Supporting Al‑Anon Internationally,” Parts One, Two, and Three, about our Team North and Team East trips to Europe in 2022.
Since our international trips in October 2022, the International Team, composed of World Service Office (WSO) Staff and Volunteers, has continued to hold meetings with over 40 international structures. Additionally, on March 17, 2023, the first-ever International Town Hall took place, followed by a second similar event renamed Global Gathering on September 26, 2023. Both events featured topics of interest to our international structures.
These virtual sessions were well-attended by Al‑Anon service structures spanning the globe from Mexico to Russia. A future Global Gathering is planned for December 2023. These meetings are a direct result of our international trips in the fall of 2022, where we discussed ways to improve communications worldwide and maintain more consistent, regular contact to better facilitate carrying the Al‑Anon and Alateen message globally.
Since we last met with trusted servants in Bulgaria, they have been working diligently to establish an Al‑Anon Information Service (AIS) structure in the country. We have also discussed their interest in Alateen, translating Conference Approved Literature (CAL) into Bulgarian, and other topics. Bulgaria presently has eight Al‑Anon groups, each with a Group Representative and Alternate Group Representative. The WSO continues to support Bulgaria in their efforts to build a solid footing as an AIS.
Likewise, trusted servants in Hungary continue to demonstrate their engagement around building up their service structure. They participated in the recent European Zonal Meeting (EZM), which took place in France, September 1–3, 2023. Al‑Anon members in Hungary also desire CAL and are interested in the translation and reprint process.
We look forward to welcoming all our international friends at the World Service Conference to be held April 17–21, 2024, in Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA, and the 2024 International Al‑Anon General Service Meeting (IAGSM), which will take place September 22–29, 2024, also in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
In The Loop, November 2023
So comforting to see this work being done so diligently. Encouraging and supporting people in Al-Anon all over the world is a great service and will foster unity.
Thanks for doing this service and for reminding us all of the importance of our world-wide services. Lois and Bill W. and our pioneers have been very thoughtful about how to ensure the hand or Al-Anon and Alateen is avaialble everywhere. That is what inclusion and equity mean. I am happy as a member that our WSO is workoing to advance this goal.
Thank you for your service.